Eastern Canada - Stupid A-Hole Commuter-Types

thursday night, I was in my car, driving down king st. from around strachaun to roncesvelle for about 30mins doing some errands (10:00pm~10:30pm)... and I encounter no less than...

If you's like a summary of all the stupid things motorists did last night in my 1/2 hour ride, it will be a MUCH longer list.

Here's a highlight: An SUV went zipping past me, stopped in the middle of the intersection of Bayview and Sheppard on a green light, threw it into reverse (I bailed right) and backed up until she was lined up with the third truck in line for the left turn.

The reason? She wanted to scream at him for getting in her way earlier.


Now what were you saying about no helmets?

BTW:

check out the rants and rave section of craigslist toronto, so many people with anger issues... and over inflated egos.

I find that some people do not wear their helmets correctly, or they are using what looks like a really old helmet, beat up helmet (The kind you can get in CT). They either don't read the warning label and instructions, or leave it attached to the handlebars.

Most cyclists don't know that helmets have expiry dates...the UV rays break down the plastic/fibreglass and they become very brittle with age

Same with construction hard hats and fireman/miner's helmets

Don't worry I see plenty of bone headed driving too while I'm on the road whether it be by bike or car. The thing is, when you get stuck in traffic with a car you will encounter a lot more bicycles than cars because if you're in no rush, then chances are, you'll be stuck between the same two cars in front and back. Which thereby limits how many cars you will encounter to the persons in front, behind and coming in the opposite direction.

I find that most people who throw it into reverse near an intersection or at it, don't even look backwards, or check in all directions before doing so. There are definately some motorists who should not be on the road. But some just have a temporary lapse in judgement.
Bad judgement/stupid people exist in all sorts of fields.

I ride like I drive. Observing traffic flow, positioning myself to avoid hazards, constantly on guard for some dangerous stunts some people like to pull. It's not inconvinent to do so for me, at most it would add 2min to my ride. Impatient people want to get there faster, but often times are short sighted, so they either speed or run the light and get stuck at the next red light behind another car anyways.
If you run the light and get hit, you figure it's only your butt who gets hurt. Such a death wish states that you don't care what kind of carnage or chaos you will leave in your wake. Traffic becomes backed up for miles, you damaged someone's car, etc. etc. It's an inconvinence to others because you are the center of the universe.
I enjoy riding on my bike, but I'm not a daredevil. I'd rather not injure or damage someone else simply because it's convenient for me.

Most people won't change their habits until something happens to them, they witnessed something or something bad happens to their immediate associates. Some education courses would be nice for many motorists and bicyclists alike.

Most cyclists don't know that helmets have expiry dates...the UV rays break down the plastic/fibreglass and they become very brittle with age

Same with construction hard hats and fireman/miner's helmets

The same goes for condoms.

Only relevant in that I'm amazed by those who ride like freaks in traffic withouth a helmet obviously have no regard for their safety, and the safety of others on the road.
There are plenty of helmeted freaks who ride in a dumb way as well. And there are courteous and skilled helmetless cyclists. So I repeat my question: how is mention of helmets relevant?

There are plenty of helmeted freaks who ride in a dumb way as well. And there are courteous and skilled helmetless cyclists. So I repeat my question: how is mention of helmets relevant?

They both can ride like jerks. I'm not arguing the helmet. My statement was simple, it kills me that people play in traffic (weaving, cutting people off etc ), without a helmet, endangering themelves unecessarily without any sort of protection. Would you go mountain biking without a helmet?

I don't consider commuting dangerous (with or without a helmet), even though there are dangers on the road...riding like a manic, weaving into trafficwithout a helmet is foolish.

The same goes for condoms.

You expose your condoms to UV?...

...there should be a law against that

They both can ride like jerks. I'm not arguing the helmet. My statement was simple, it kills me that people play in traffic (weaving, cutting people off etc ), without a helmet, endangering themelves unecessarily without any sort of protection. Protective power of helmets is way overstated. Science is a very objective thing, and so far the studies I've looked at are either bad studies (which is something that can be measured objectively, so this assessment is a fact, not an opinion) or do not show any significant benefit of wearing a helmet. I realize it's a tricky subject to research, but if helmets were so great surely there'd be better evidence by now, especially since there seems to be a huge number of people who desperately want there to be good evidence in favour of helmets.

At any rate, when people endanger themselves it's their own business. I don't see why it should concern anyone if nobody else is affected by their choices to any significant degree. But if careless riding by helmetless folks upsets you, it should upset you just as much when performed by helmeted folks. If sh*t does happen, they are not that much less vulnerable, if at all.

[qoute]even though there are dangers on the road...riding like a manic, weaving into trafficwithout a helmet is foolish.[/quote] Yes, it's pretty foolish. But no more or less foolish than with a helmet on. That is my simple point.

Jeez, you've blown my statement way out of proportion. Read my post again please - I don't care if you do, or do not, wear a helmet.

Helmets can prevent serious head injury. FACT. It's worked for me, so save the BS for someone else.

Wow, some discussion. Like I said before, a lot of you ask for respect but you aren't capable/willing to give it. You think that just because everyone else acts like a bone-headed idiot it gives you the right to sink to their level. Whatever.

BTW, bike helmets don't have expiry dates where they go "poof...sorry, this unit is ineffective".

+1...I too do not wear a helmet on my commutes...however, I've seen two fatal accidents where both cyclists were wearing them...didn't even stop their brains from making a mess on the road

I saw an accident on Queen St. where this cyclist tried to squeeze between a parked truck and the streetcar. He misjudged and ended up unconscious on the street. No, he wasn't wearing a helmet.

Then, this cyclist came up to me to ask what had happened and I told him and the idiot started to blame the parked truck for being where it legally was. :rolleyes:

You think that just because everyone else acts like a bone-headed idiot it gives you the right to sink to their level.

"Sink" to the level of "everyone else"? And who is assigning these "rights" exactly?

Yet another poster who thinks cyclists should all act like angels among the speeding, tailgating cars and anything-goes pedestrians.

And yes, stopping at red lights gets you nothing but respect. Just like this guy:

http://www.dropmachine.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=25734&start=0&postdays=0&postorder=asc&highlight=

And especially this guy:

http://www.citynews.ca/news/news_10783.aspx

At the end of the day... I just hope everyone comes out okay, we all think about safety aspects and risk in different ways...

Last monday, I was going south on University from Bloor (in my Car, not biking) around 6pm. Now if you don't live in Toronto, this part of university is 3 to 4 lanes. My car was in the middle right lane and just about to pass queen street. There were 2 cyclist wearing helmets, on the right most lane also travelling south. A big tour bus was in their way, no ability to squeeze right or left. I see both of them start lining to the left. Both bikes were cruisers with very WIDE handlebars. They didn't even look to see if a car was coming and just zipped into my lane (and not even on the right side, almost to the middle. As cyclist, I knew it would have been a stupid move on their part to do this. I was prepared though, and got on the brakes well within time, veered a bit to the other lane, as I passed them. The taxi following me closely however, almost hit them.

I'm pretty sure if it was a different driver, who was less familiar with cyclist, this girl and her friend would have been dead (I was goin 60Ks), if not pretty hurt. My coworker asked me how I knew she was going to do that (he was pissed that she was not even looking), and I just said, I didn't know... just that it was a possibility, and because of that, my foot was already on the brakes.

I sure hope she works on her riding skills and judgement. Talk about bonehead moves!

Last monday, I was going south on University from Bloor (in my Car, not biking) around 6pm. Now if you don't live in Toronto, this part of university is 3 to 4 lanes.

My car was in the middle right lane and just about to pass queen street. I'm pretty sure if it was a different driver, who was less familiar with cyclist, this girl and her friend would have been dead (I was goin 60Ks), if not pretty hurt.

A miracle :eek:

+60km/hr at 6:00 PM on University & Queen W.

...I've never seen this happen, especially with that gridlock at Richmond, Adelaide, King, and Front

WOW

Problem is ,much of society has adopted the me first attitude and general courtesy appears to have evaporated into thin,polluted air.

Jeez, you've blown my statement way out of proportion. Read my post again please - I don't care if you do, or do not, wear a helmet. Good.

Helmets can prevent serious head injury. FACT. It's worked for me *sigh* How do you know it worked for you? You may have been just as well off if you were not wearing a helmet. Totally fallacious arguments like this is exactly what produces all the helmet flamewars. Helmet advocates keep reiterating ridiculous statements like "two plus three is seven", and call any corrections "bull****". Well, they are idiots for doing that. Fact.

I was goin 60Ks Is that 60 km/h? In a 50 km/h zone? And this is the kind of people who complain about others' bad behaviour in traffic? :rolleyes:

Good.

*sigh* How do you know it worked for you? You may have been just as well off if you were not wearing a helmet. Totally fallacious arguments like this is exactly what produces all the helmet flamewars. Helmet advocates keep reiterating ridiculous statements like "two plus three is seven", and call any corrections "bull****". Well, they are idiots for doing that. Fact.

Had an accident awhile back where my helmet cracked apart in two peices after while my head bounced off the ground three times ( crossing streetcar tracks )....my skull was undamaged. No blood or serious pain. I got up off the ground and walk away.

On another occassion my bike tires slipped on a greased surface, the helmet cracked as my noggin hit the pavement. Again, got up and walked away.

Tell me this - what do you think the outcome would of been if I didn't have a helmet? Did the helmet do it's job and if I wasn't wearing one would I have sustained greater or less head injury?

Good.

*sigh* How do you know it worked for you? You may have been just as well off if you were not wearing a helmet. Totally fallacious arguments like this is exactly what produces all the helmet flamewars. Helmet advocates keep reiterating ridiculous statements like "two plus three is seven", and call any corrections "bull****". Well, they are idiots for doing that. Fact.


+ 1

Regards,
J T

Im Gonna Removed By Moderators Straightarm All You Removed By Moderators!!!

Where to those of you who defend law-breaking cyclists ride that you can say they only endanger themselves and so you don't care? Do you really ride your bike or only read bike forums? These bozos endanger me, other cyclists, and a lot of pedestrians every single hour of every single day in any larger city - every single time they blow through a stop sign, blow through a red light, turn into and ride the wrong way on a one-way, jam onto and off of the sidewalks, etc. They are a lot more than a menace to only themselves. I have had many hair-raising experiences with these numbskulls while riding my own bike. A wheeled vehicle that can easily do 15-20 km/h or more is no place to be practicing anarchy.

They get away with it in our Canadian cities because there is no policing.

May I say that there is 'Policing', (just look at the budgets) however 'motoring around',

in A/C equipt cruisers with the windows rolled up, is a poor form thereof.


Regards,
J T

I saw an accident on Queen St. where this cyclist tried to squeeze between a parked truck and the streetcar. He misjudged and ended up unconscious on the street. No, he wasn't wearing a helmet.

Then, this cyclist came up to me to ask what had happened and I told him and the idiot started to blame the parked truck for being where it legally was. :rolleyes:

Actually, he was right...A cyclist that got doored on Queen Street sued the city and won!...a study (long kept secret by the city) found that Queen Street is too narrow for safe cycling if parked cars and streetcars share the road...he won $2500.00

same as that accident a few weeks ago on Queen East where a driver opened his door, the cyclist took evasive action, and ended up under a streetcar (he was trapped for few hours, but is OK)...same as the cyclist I saw get doored by a taxi at Queen E. and Sherborne in October...he wasn't moving when the ambulance took him away (he was wearing a helmet)

Mr. or Ms Moderator: Please put this thread in A & S where it belongs, so I won't have to look at it anymore. Thanks. :)

Running red lights is safer? Under what circumstances?

As for scofflaw cyclists giving the rest of us a bad name, well, I believe that. We ask for respect but we don't give it.

Here is an instance where it is safer... When crossing over the 407, I find that running a light that just turned red (green for those coming off the 407 ramp and making a turn to head North or South on the road I am riding on) gives me enough room in front to clear the main line of cars that I left behind stopped at the lights, some which will make a high speed entry to the ramps going into the 407.

The best solution is of course to avoid streets that have an on/off ramp to the highways but in some cases this is not always feasible.

The H T A is quite clear; and you with 'published intent'!

'Reguards',
J T

All your base are belong to us

BTW, bike helmets don't have expiry dates where they go "poof...sorry, this unit is ineffective".

Virtually nothing has an expiry date at which it goes "poof." Helmets still deteriorate.

Had an accident awhile back where my helmet cracked apart in two peices after while my head bounced off the ground three times ( crossing streetcar tracks )....my skull was undamaged. No blood or serious pain. I got up off the ground and walk away.

On another occassion my bike tires slipped on a greased surface, the helmet cracked as my noggin hit the pavement. Again, got up and walked away.

Tell me this - what do you think the outcome would of been if I didn't have a helmet? Did the helmet do it's job and if I wasn't wearing one would I have sustained greater or less head injury?

TF, I hear you on this one. I've said this before but I'll say it again

No piece of equipment saves everyone, freak accidents happen and often because equipment is not properly adjusted.

But there are proven truths
... Falling objects accelerate at 9.8 meters per second per second (Acceleration due to gravity)
... Force = mass X acceleration
... Objects traveling at a greater velocity before falling takes effect have a greater resultant acceleration at impact therefore hitting the ground with greater force
... When one's bare head hits the ground, the brain gets bounced around in the skull
... Minimizing the force transfer to the brain minimizes the amount of damage.

Basic physics doesn't have 2 sides, it just is.